In the Shadows
by Dimostiel
Summary: As Aralataien adjusts to her new life in a city with her real parents and loved one’s, she realizes how hard it is to be different. COMPLETE
1. Saved From the Dark

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Title: In the Shadows

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Author: Lauren a.k.a. Dimostiel

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Rating: PG for a little fighting.

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The Airerûth Chronicles:

(I suggest reading them in order)

Pseudonym

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Disclaimer: Most everything in this story does belong to me and was created with my imaginative mind, but the whole idea of Middle Earth is totally Tolkien's.

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Summary: As Aralataien adjusts to her new life in a city with her real parents and loved one's, she realizes how hard it is to be different.

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To my Reviewers(of the last story)**:**

Lady Idhril - I thought it was a little rushed too. I'm thinking about rewriting the last two chapters. I'll tell you if I do.

Daisy Princess - The ending almost made me cry as I wrote it.

Lady of Middle Earth - Read my thing to Lady Idhril. It will explain all. I'm going to go read your story as soon as I post this, that is if ff.net lets me (it's being screwy today). I've had that ending in mind ever since I starting writing this story; that's what inspired me to go on. I just wanted to write the ending.

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Author's Note: I would just like everyone to know that this is a 2 chapter story. Just a little short thing I came up with one day so I would have more time to write on the 3 story (which will be a longer story). I am running a little behind, so I'd just like to apologize. Thanks for reading!

~**~ 

~***Chapter 1: Saved From the Dark***~

I've been watching you from a distance   
The distance sees through your disguise   
All I want from you is your hurting   
I want to heal you   
I want to save you from the dark 

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Evanescence - Give Unto Me

~**~

Elenion watched the small form in the shadow of the courtyard shake with sobs. This was not the girl he knew when they arrived at Midneve a fortnight ago. 

Nearly twenty years ago, Vanwathulë, a malevolent wizard with foul intentions, had abducted a 3 month old Aralataien. He then gave her the name of Duriel. She spent the first 19 years of her life living amongst men, thinking that Vanwathulë was her father. 

Only two weeks ago had she been reunited with her father, her story had been told to a select few, but somehow leaked out and now most of the village knew of her predicament. A certain group of girls had taken to teasing her, telling her that she wasn't fit to live with elves because of the way she was raised. They teased her because of her lack of ability to do what they thought was important, sewing, reading, and writing. The only thing she had really been taught while growing up was how to fight, which came in handy during certain situations, but not this one. They laughed at her clothes, she liked to wear a tunic and leggings, saying they were more comfortable to practice in.

He sighed, he supposed he should go comfort her now. He couldn't let her get too into her shadows.

~**~

Here in the shadows   
I'm safe   
I'm free   
I've nowhere else to go but   
I cannot stay where I don't belong...

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Evanescence - Exodus

~**~

Aralataien sat in a corner of the courtyard, trying to quiet her sobs that raked throughout her body, as she thought about the day.

Why did Serena and her friends have to tease her just because she was a little different?

~*Earlier that day*~

Aralataien had been heading out with her bow and arrows to practice at the range. She grimaced when she noticed Serena and her normal groups of friends walking straight towards her. She turned to take a different way to the practice range, when she heard the all to familiar drawling voice of Serena.

"Oh look ladies, it's 'Rala, the human loving, half-elf."

"I'm three-quarters."

"What's that? You think you can back talk me, just because your father is the lord of this city or is it because you dress like a boy? What decent elf prince would court someone who grew up around men and dresses like a boy? He should be courting someone more like me, someone who could at least read and speak elvish."

Switching into elvish, she quietly said to herself, "I can speak elvish, you moron."

"It's so obvious the prince is only using you. Why don't you just give up the prince and let someone decent court him? Princes don't court nobody's."

~*Present*~

Serena's words stung like fire. Doubt crossed her mind, what if Serena was right? What if the Elenion didn't love her?

~**~

Give unto me your troubles   
I'll endure your suffering   
Place onto me your burden   
I'll drink your deadly poison

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Evanescence - Give Unto Me

~**~

As if on cue Elenion arrived by her side. Putting his arm around her, he held her close.

She sniffed and wiped away her tears, looking up at Elenion, she repeated the question that had formed on her mind, "Elenion, do you love me?"

"Oh, melamin, do not let Serena's words get to you. You know that my love has only ever been for you." {my love} He smiled at her, "Would you like me to prove it to you?" He leaned down and was about to kiss her when he heard an all too familiar screech, followed by the screaming of girls.

Aralataien looked at him in confusion. "What was that?"

"Orcs."

~*TBC...*~

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A/N: So what do you think? Push the button, tell me please...


	2. Waking Up

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Title: In the Shadows

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Author: Lauren a.k.a. Dimostiel

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(For disclaimer and other ramblings see chapter 1)

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To my reviewer:

Daisy Princess - Ahh, my only reviewer. I had to put in a cliffy on this chapter just cause it only has 2 chapters.

~***Chapter 2: Waking Up***~

Elenion, closely followed by Aralataien, went out into the main road. They saw 

a company of soldiers and Elenion stopped on of them. "What's going on?"

"A company of orcs attacked a group of girls on the outskirts of town, along the tree line."

"Orcs? Attacking in the middle of the day? That's strange."

Elenion began to follow the soldiers, but Aralataien grabbed his arm. "I'm coming with you."

He sighed, she was a better fighter then him, she had even taught him a few moves. "I guess, just be careful."

"Like you could say anything to make me stay."

The rest of the trip to the edge of town was in heavy silence, except for the screams and screeches that were getting louder.

As they left the gate, a horrible scene greeted Aralataien's eyes. There were these beings, covered in black slime and dirt. They were short and quick, but not very skilled in the way of battle. The soldiers were definitely going to win this battle.

She was about to join into the fray, but saw something that worsened the situation. Off in the shadow of the trees, Aralataien saw an orc dragging someone off. No one else seemed to notice this, so she ran off into the woods. As she got closer to the orc and it's prey she realized with a sickening feeling that the person being dragged along was Serena. No matter how much she hated someone she would not allow them to become orc prey.

She notched an arrow on her bow and was about to fire it when the wind picked up. She heard a very familiar voice on the wind.

"Their deaths will come slowly, unless the healer is realized."

Aralataien shook her head; it had to have been her imagination, but that 

sounded like the elderly lady she heard so long ago.

She looked ahead and realized the orc was getting further away. She ran ahead a few paces and fired her arrow. It hit her target right in the neck, killing it 

immediately. 

She ran the last few yards to Serena and shook her awake.

"'Rala, what are you-" she noticed the orc to her side. "You?"

"Yes. You don't need to thank me."

Serena looked stunned for a few minutes before speaking again, "I'm sorry, for everything I said. It seems you do have a few talents."

"You are forgiven. Let's get back to the village."

They headed back to the outskirts where the battle was coming to an end. As Serena was walking away, Aralataien heard a faint thank you. She smiled. She wasn't going to be teased anymore.

~**~

Elenion approached Aralataien. He had taken a quick bath to wash the dirt and blood off of him and then gone to find his love.

She was lying on a bench in the courtyard staring into the evening sky. He noticed the tear streaks on her face. Oh no, not again.

"What is it, 'Rala?"

"I need to ask you something;" she paused, thinking for a minute, "Who am I, really?"

"You are Aralataien, daughter of Lord Esgalon and Lady Amariswen. You are a fighter. You are the one and only love of my life. You are who you want to be. You are you."

She smiled, "Thank you, Elenion." Elenion kissed her deeply on the lips as the stars twinkled above.

Waking up is knowing who you really are...

THE END

~**~

A/N: Cool, I can make the stars twinkle. Oh yes, I almost forgot. A preview for the third story, Edhelgurth:

"Word has arrived from several surrounding cities, my lord, that the orcs are increasing."

Telnarion didn't feel well at all; he just nodded to Altair's statement.

"My lord, shouldn't something be done about this?"

"Hmm? Oh yes, increase the guards at the borders."

"Yes, my lord." Telnarion's eyes slowly closed and he began to slide forward in his chair. 

"My lord?" 

The king fell onto the floor, unconscious.

Altair ran out the door shouting for healers. "Bring the healers quick, something is wrong with the king!"

~**~

I have big plans for this story; I just have to write it. :P


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